Imports it thee, what thing is whisper'd here?
Come after me, and to their babblings leave
The crowd. Be as a tower, that, firmly set,

Shakes not its top for any blast that blows.

He, in whose bosom thought on thought shoots out,
Still of his aim is wide, in that the one

Sicklies and wastes to naught the other's strength."
What other could I answer, save "I come "?
I said it, somewhat with that color tinged,
Which ofttimes pardon meriteth for man.
Meanwhile traverse along the hill there came,
A little way before us, some who sang
The "Miserere" in responsive strains.
When they perceived that through my body I
Gave way not for the rays to pass, their song
Straight to a long and hoarse exclaim they changed;
And two of them, in guise of messengers,
Ran on to meet us, and inquiring ask'd:
"Of your condition we would gladly learn."

To them my guide: "Ye may return, and bear
Tidings to them who sent you, that his frame
Is real flesh. If, as I deem, to view
His shade they paused, enough is answer'd them:
Him let them honor: they may prize him well."
Ne'er saw I fiery vapors with such speed
Cut through the serene air at fall of night,
Nor August's clouds athwart the setting sun
That upward these did not in shorter space
Return; and, there arriving, with the rest
Wheel back on us, as with loose rein a troop.

"Many," exclaim'd the bard, "are these, who throng Around us to petition thee, they come.

Go therefore on, and listen as thou go'st."

"O spirit! who go'st on to blessedness,

With the same limbs that clad thee at thy birth,”

Shouting they came: "a little rest thy step.

Look if thou any one amongst our tribe

3

Hast e'er beheld, that tidings of him there 3

Thou mayst report.

Ah! wherefore go'st thou on?

"There." Upon the earth.

Ah! wherefore tarriest thou not? We all

By violence died, and to our latest hour

Were sinners, but then warn'd by light from heaven;
So that, repenting and forgiving, we

Did issue out of life at peace with God,
Who, with desire to see him, fills our heart."
Then I: "The visages of all I scan,
Yet none of ye remember. But if aught
That I can do may please you, gentle spirits!
Speak, and I will perform it; by that peace,
Which, on the steps of guide so excellent
Following, from world to world, intent I seek."
In answer he began: "None here distrusts
Thy kindness, though not promised with an oath;
So as the will fail not for want of power.
Whence I, who sole before the other speak,
Entreat thee, if thou ever see that land *
Which lies between Romagna and the realm
Of Charles, that of thy courtesy thou pray
Those who inhabit Fano, that for me
Their adorations duly be put up,

By which I may purge off my grievous sins.
From thence I came." But the deep passages,
Whence issued out the blood wherein I dwelt,
Upon my bosom in Antenor's land"

Were made, where to be more secure I thought.
The author of the deed was Este's prince,

Who, more than right could warrant, with his wrath
Pursued me. Had I toward Mira fled,

When overta'en at Oriaco, still

Might I have breathed. But to the marsh I sped;
And in the mire and rushes tangled there
Fell, and beheld my life-blood float the plain."
Then said another: "Ah! so may the wish,

"That land." The Marca d' Ancona, between Romagna and Apulia, the kingdom of Charles of Anjou.

From thence I came.' Giacopo del Cassero, a citizen of Fano, who having spoken ill of Azzo da Este, Marquis of Ferrara, was by his orders put to death. Giacopo was overtaken by the assassins at Oriaco, a place near the Brenta, from whence if he had fled toward Mira,

higher up on that river, instead of mak-
ing for the marsh on the sea-shore, he
might have escaped.
"The blood."

seat of life.

Supposed to be the

7" Antenor's land." The city of Padua, said to be founded by Antenor. This implies a reflection on the Paduans. See Hell," xxxii. 89.

That takes thee o'er the mountain, be fulfill'd,
As thou shalt graciously give aid to mine.
Of Montefeltro I; Buonconte I:

9

8

Giovanna nor none else have care for me;
Sorrowing with these I therefore go." I thus:
"From Campaldino's field what force or chance
Drew thee, that ne'er thy sepulture was known?"
"Oh!" answer'd he, " at Casentino's foot
A stream there courseth, named Archiano, sprung
In Apennine above the hermit's seat,10

E'en where its name is cancel'd,11 there came I,
Pierced in the throat, fleeing away on foot,

And bloodying the plain. Here sight and speech
Fail'd me; and, finishing with Mary's name,

I fell, and tenantless my flesh remain'd.
I will report the truth; which thou again

Tell to the living. Me God's angel took,

Whilst he of hell exclaim'd: 'O thou from heaven:
Say wherefore hast thou robb'd me? Thou of him
The eternal portion bear'st with thee away,

For one poor tear that he deprives me of.

But of the other, other rule I make.'

"Thou know'st how in the atmosphere collects That vapor dank, returning into water

Soon as it mounts where cold condenses it.
That evil will,12 which in his intellect
Still follows evil, came; and raised the wind
And smoky mist, by virtue of the power
Given by his nature. Thence the valley, soon
As day was spent, he cover'd o'er with cloud,
From Pratomagno to the mountain range;13
And stretch'd the sky above; so that the air
Impregnate changed to water. Fell the rain;

8" Of Montefeltro I." Buonconte (son of Guido da Montefeltro, whom we have had in the 27th Canto of "Hell," fell in the battle of Campaldino (1289) fighting on the side of the Aretini. In this engagement our Poet took a distinguished part, as we have seen related in his Life."

"Giovanna." Either the wife, or a kinswoman of Buonconte.

10" The hermit's seat.' The hermitage of Camaldoli.

11"Where its name is cancel'd." That

is, between Bibbiena and Poppi, where the Archiano falls into the Arno.

12 That evil will." The devil. This notion of the Evil Spirit having power over the elements, appears to have arisen from his being termed the "prince of the air," in the New Testa

ment.

13" From Pratomagno to the mountain range.' From Pratomagno, now

called Prato Vecchio (which divides the Valdarno from Casentino), as far as to the Apennines.

And to the fosses came all that the land

Contain'd not; and, as mightiest streams are wont,
To the great river, with such headlong sweep,

Rush'd, that naught stay'd its course. My stiffen'd frame
Laid at his mouth, the fell Archiano found,

And dashed it into Arno; from my breast
Loosening the cross, that of myself I made
When overcome with pain. He hurl'd me on,
Along the banks and bottom of his course;
Then in his muddy spoils encircling wrapt."
"Ah! when thou to the world shalt be return'd,
And rested after thy long road," so spake
Next the third spirit; "then remember me.
I once was Pia.14 Sienna gave me life;
Maremma took it from me. That he knows,
Who me with jewel'd ring had first espoused."

CANTO VI

ARGUMENT.-Many besides, who are in like case with those spoken of in the last Canto, beseech our Poet to obtain for them the prayers of their friends, when he shall be returned to this world. This moves him to express a doubt to his guide, how the dead can be profited by the prayers of the living; for the solution of which doubt he is referred to Beatrice. Afterward he meets with Sordello the Mantuan, whose affection, shown to Virgil his countryman, leads Dante to break forth into an invective against the unnatural divisions with which Italy, and more especially Florence, was distracted.

W

HEN from their game of dice men separate,

He who hath lost remains in sadness fix'd,
Revolving in his mind what luckless throws
He cast: but, meanwhile, all the company
Go with the other; one before him runs,
And one behind his mantle twitches, one
Fast by his side bids him remember him.
He stops not; and each one, to whom his hand
Is stretch'd, well knows he bids him stand aside;

14" Pia." She is said to have been a Siennese lady, of the family of Tolommei, secretly made away with by her

husband, Nello della Pietra, of the same city, in Maremma, where he had some possessions.

1

And thus he from the press defends himself.
E'en such was I in that close-crowding throng;
And turning so my face around to all,
And promising, I 'scaped from it with pains.
Here of Arezzo him 2 I saw, who fell
By Ghino's cruel arm; and him beside,"
Who in his chase was swallow'd by the stream.
Here Frederic Novello with his hand
Stretch'd forth, entreated; and of Pisa he,
Who put the good Marzuco to such proof
Of constancy. Count Orso I beheld;
And from its frame a soul dismiss'd for spite
And envy, as it said, but for no crime;
I speak of Peter de la Brosse:" and here,
While she yet lives, that Lady of Brabant,
Let her beware; lest for so false a deed

She herd with worse than these. When I was freed
From all those spirits, who pray'd for other's prayers
To hasten on their state of blessedness;
Straight I began: "O thou, my luminary!
It seems expressly in thy text denied,

That heaven's supreme decree can ever bend
To supplication; yet with this design

1" And thus." It was usual for money to be given to bystanders at play by winners; and as is well remarked: "Dante is therefore describing, with his usual power of observation, what he had often seen, the shuffling, boondenying exit of the successful games

ter.

2" Of Arezzo him." Benincasa of Arezzo, eminent for his skill in jurisprudence, who having condemned to death Turrino da Turrita, brother of Ghino di Tacco, for his robberies in Maremma, was murdered by Ghino, in an apartment of his own house, in the presence of many witnesses. Ghino was not only suffered to escape in safety, but (as the commentators inform us) obtained so high a reputation by the liberality with which he was accustomed to dispense the fruits of his plunder, and treated those who fell into his hands with so much courtesy, that he was afterward invited to Rome, and knighted by Boniface VIII.

3" Him beside." Cione, or Ciacco de' Tarlatti of Arezzo. He is said to have been carried by his horse into the Arno, and there drowned, while he was pursuit of certain of his enemies. "Frederic Novello." Son of the

in

Conte Guido da Battifolle, and slain by one of the family of Bostoli.

5" Of Pisa he." Farinata de' Scornigiani, of Pisa. His father, Marzuco, who had entered the order of the Frati Minori, so entirely overcame the feelings of resentment, that he even kissed the hands of the slayer of his son, and, as he was following the funeral, exhorted his kinsmen to reconciliation.

"Count Orso." Son of Napoleone da Cerbaia, slain by Alberto da Mangona, his uncle.

7" Peter de la Brosse." Secretary of Philip III of France. The courtiers, envying the high place which he held in the King's favor, prevailed on Mary of Brabant to charge him falsely with an attempt upon her person; for which supposed crime he suffered death. So say the Italian commentators. Henault represents the matter very differently: "Pierre de la Brosse, formerly barber to St. Louis, afterward the favorite of Philip, fearing the too great attachment of the King for his wife Mary, accuses this princess of having poisoned Louis, eldest son of Philip, by his first marriage. This calumny is discovered by a nun of Nivelle, in Flanders. Brosse is hanged."

La